Gate-operating device.



J. s. G. HOFER. GATE OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION'FILED JULY 21,1913. high-547 Patented June 30,1914.

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[I Urn/enter; J12 G.]-/ojcr COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH co.,wAsH|Nn'r0N, D. c.

J. S; G. HOFER.

GATE OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION TILED JULY 21, 1913. 1 1 QL547; Patented June 30,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CID-,WASHINUTDN, 0. c.

NTTED STATES PATENT UFFTE moon s. G. HOFER, or BRIDGEWATER, sourrn DAKOTA;

GATE-OPERATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAooB S. G. HOFER, citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgewater, in the county of McGook and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate- Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gate operating devices, more particularly to devices employed for opening and closing the large farm gates from a distance, or arranged to enable a person to open the gate from a vehicle or from horseback when approaching the gate and without alighting, and to close the gate after having passed through, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efiiciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device which may be applied without material structural change to gates of various sizes and forms.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate structure including the hinge post and the latch post with the improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective View of the main supporting frame of the gate operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of the automatic mechanism whereby the gate is locked in open position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the posts against which the gate is locked in open position. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the latch which is attached to the latch post. Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged details illustrating the construction of the resilient latch member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The hinge post of the gate is represented conventionally at 10 and the latch post at 11 and these parts are of the usual construction and arrangement to support the fence material indicated conventionally at 13. The gate may be of any suitable construc- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 21, 1913.

Patented June 39, 1914.

Serial No. 780,239.

tion, but is preferably formed of gas piping and includes the upper member 12, lower member 12, hinge and vertical member 14:, latch and vertical member 15, and a plurality of intermediate brace members 16. The frame is provided with strand wires 17 connected in any suitable manner to the frame of the gate.

The hinge end member 14 is hingedly united to the post 10 as represented at 18, while the latch post 11 is provided with a latch device 19 preferably formed of spaced notches 19. Bearing upon opposite sides of the members 15 of the gate are straps 20 which are coupled together at the inner side of the member 15 by a clamp bolt 21 and coupled together at the opposite side of the member 15 by spaced clamp bolts 2223. A rod 2 1 of resilient material, such as steel, is formed at one end with an eye 25 engaging around the bolt 22 between the plates 20 and looped around the bolt 23 and thence extended upwardly to a point above the upper line of the gate and terminates in an eye 26. The vertical portion of the rod 24c enters one of the notches 19 of the latch member 19 and thus holds the gate in closed position. At its ends the latch member 19 is inclined so that as the gate is closed the rod 24, which is held normally in its outward position, is deflected toward the gate by contact with the inclined terminals of the latch and enters the nearest notch 19, and by providing two of the notches the gate may be opened and closed in either direction, as hereafter explained. By this simple means a simply constructed latch device is produced which is certain in its action and may be readily released either manually or by the operat ing mechanism, as may be preferred.

Connected to the hinge post 10 is a supporting frame preferably formed of a single bar bent into U shape and represented as a whole at 29, whereby spaced sides are produced and offset intermediate the ends, with the sides bearing upon opposite sides of the post and bolted or otherwise rigidly secured thereto as represented at 30. A vertical shaft 31 is mounted for rotation through the upper end of the frame 29 and is supported at its lower end at 32 in a bracket 33 connected to the frame 29. Connected to theshaft 31 above the frame 29 is an oscillating member over which an operating cable or chain operates to oscillate the shaft. The oscillating member includes a rim 34,

spokes 35 and a hub 36, the latter being rigidly connected to the shaft 31. The rim 34 is provided with a plurality of guide fingers 37 spaced apart at short intervals and between which operating cables or chains indicated conventionally at 38 operate. Connected to the frame 29 at one side is an arm 39, while a similar arm is connected to the frame 29 at the opposite side. The frame 39 is extended upwardly and outwardly and carries a guide pulley 41, while the member 40 is li rewise extended upwardly and outwardly and is provided with a guide pulley 42. The guide pulleys 41-42 are in horizontal alinement with the member 34, and the flexible members 38 extend around these guide pulleys in opposite directions. A brace 43 extends between the members 3940 to reinforce them and prevent their displacement.

Surrounding the shaft 31 is a spring 44 connected at its upper end at 45 to the shaft and extended at its lower end in the form of a relatively long loop 46 which is bent upon itself to form spaced sides and adapted to operate as a crank arm. Attached at 47 to the upper member 12 of the gate is a clip device 48, and bolted or otherwise secured at 49 to the arm member 46 is a rod 50 which extends at one end slidably through the clip 48. The spring 44 permits the shaft 31 and its arm 64 to be moved a sufficient dis tance to cause the release of the latch devices before the arm 50 is actuated to move the gate.

Attached to one of the vertical brace members 16 and to the member 12 of the gate is a frame represented as a whole at 51 formed with spaced sides, as shown in Fig. 4, and bearing upon opposite sides of the members 12-16 and clamped by bolts 52-53 thereto. A guide pulley 54 is mounted for rotation in the upper portion of the frame 51. A bar 55 is preferably formed of a section of L metal and secured to the frame 51 by a clamp plate 56 and a clamp bolt 57, the frame 55 extending transversely over the frame 51 and projecting at its ends over opposite sides of the gate. Pivoted at 58 to the member 55 is an arm 59, while a similar arm 60 is pivoted at 61 to the frame 55, the pivots 58-61 being spaced a considerable distance apart so that the bars 596O lie normally in oppositely directed positions, as shown in Fig. 3. The bar 59 is provided with a depending tooth or lug 62, while a similar lug 63 depends from the outer end of the arm 60. Connected to the shaft 31 is a crank arm 64 to which a rod 65 is coupled at one end, as shown at 66. A rod 67 is coupled at one end to the eye 26 of the member 24, and a section of chain 68 is connected between the confronting ends of the rods 6567 and passes over the guide pulley 54. A short section of chain or like flexible material 69 is connected at 69 to the arm 59, while a similar short section of chain 71 is connected at 71 to the arm 60. The two short sections of chain are passed over the guide sheave 54 together with the chain 68 and are connected to the latter as shown in Fig. 4. The chains 6971 are of such length that when the shaft 31 is in its normal position, or with the latch member 24 engaged with the latch 19, the arms 59- 60 will lie in their horizontal position, as represented in Fig. 4, and when the shaft 31 is rotated by a pull force applied to the members 38, the arm 64 will draw the chains 69-71 over the guide sheave 54 and first release the latch 24 when the gate is closed, and at the same time elevate the arms 59 -60.

Located at opposite sides of the latch post 10 and spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to the distance between the hinges 18 and the members 59-60, are posts, one of which is represented at 72, each post being provided with a holding member 73 with which the terminals 62 or 63 of the members 59 60 as the case may be is designed to engage when the gate is disposed in open position. Thus when the gate is swung in one direction the lug 62 engages with one of the holding members 73, and then when the gate is swung in the opposite direction the lug 63 engages with the other holding member 73. Thus when the gate is swung into open position at one side of the gateway opening the lug 63 is automatically engaged with the member 73 which is located at that side of the gateway opening, and then when the gate is swung in the opposite direction the lug 62 will engage with the other member 73 as will be obvious. By this means the gate will be maintained in open position and the members 59 or 60, as the case may be, elevated to release the gate.

Attached to each of the posts 7 2 is a buffer member comprising a resilient rod 74, each rod being provided with a lateral spur 75 adapted to be driven into the post and the rod held in position by a staple 76 or like device. When the gate is swung into open position it strikes the buffer member 74 and is thus prevented from striking the post 72, and thus prevented from producing a jarring sound or injuring the parts of the gate. The usual posts for supporting the chain or other pull members 38 which extend at opposite sides of the gateway opening will be employed, but as these devices are so well known, and as they form no part of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate them. The pull members or chains 38 may be supported at any convenient distance or in any suitable manner, to enable the gate to be actuated by a person from a vehicle or on horseback without dismounting. It should be noted that the pull members 38 cross each other at that side of the rim 34 between the guide pulleys 41 and 42, being extended about the rim in opposite directions and again crossing each other at the opposite side of the rim. The free ends of the pull members are then passed through openings formed in the rim and secured to certain of the spokes, as clearly shown. Because of this arrangement of the pull members, it will be apparent that in opening the gate, the gate will always be swung away from the person opening the same and will therefore be less liable to frighten animals ridden or driven by the person opening the gate. If desired, the rotatable member may be provided with a rim grooved throughout its entire circumference in which case the guide fingers 37 may be omitted.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A gate operating apparatus comprising a shaft mounted to oscillate, a latch device adapted to hold a gate in closed position, an arm connected to said shaft and partaking of its motion, connecting means between said latch device and arm, another arm extended into a rod, means adapted to movably couple said rod to a gate, and resilient means between said last-mentioned arm and said shaft.

2. The combination with a gate mounted to swing, a shaft mounted for oscillation, a latch device carried by said gate and operating to hold the same in closed position, an arm carried by said shaft, connecting means between said arm and latch device, another arm movable relative to said shaft, a. resilient device coupling said movable arm to said shaft, a rod rigidlv connected to said movable arm, and means for movab-ly coupling said rod to said gate.

8. A gate operating apparatus comprising a shaft mounted for oscillation, a latch adapted to hold a gate in closed position, an arm connected to said shaft and partaking of its motion, connecting means between said latch device and arm, another arm extended into a rod, means adapted to movably couple said rod to a gate, resilient means between said last-mentioned arm and said shaft, a bar adapted to swing relative to a gate and having a down-turned terminal, a catch device in the path of said bar and with which it engages when the gate is opened, and means for coupling said bar to the connecting means of said latch and arm.

4. A gate structure including the hinge post and latch post, means for swinging said gate into open position, a shaft mounted to oscillate upon the hinge post, a member carried by the gate, a catch upon the latch post in the path of the latch member, an arm carried by the shaft, connecting means between the arm and the latch member, a bar mounted to swing upon the gate and having a terminal catch, a stop located in the path of the catch when the gate is in open position, and connecting means be tween the bar and the latch member connect-- ing means.

5. A gate structure including the hinge post and latch post, means for swinging said gate into open position, a shaft mounted to oscillate upon the hinge post, a latch member carried by the gate, a catch upon the latch post in the path of the latch member, an arm carried by the shaft, connecting means between the arm and the latch member, a frame carrying a guide pulley for the latch member connecting means and connected to said gate, a bar swinging upon said frame and having a terminal catch, a stop located in the path of the catch when the gate is in open position, and connecting means between the bar and the latch member connecting means.

6. A gate operating apparatus including a shaft mounted for oscillation, a spring coiled around said shaft and connected at one end thereto and extended at the other end into a lateral. arm which is yieldable relative to said shaft, a rod rigidly connected to said yieldable arm and adapted to movably engage a gate, and another arm carried by said shaft and adapted to be connected to a latch.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB S. G. HOFER. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

MATH MAYER, PAUL W. Tsonnrrnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. 0. 

